Sunbather{3 s rotatable platform

ABSTRACT

A sunbather&#39;&#39;s recreational device in which a platform is mounted for rotation on a base. The platform is provided with a gnomon or style, the position or length of its shadow upon the platform serving as an indicator or reference of the position of the sun with relation to the sunbather, so that when required, the platform may be rotated to position the sunbather in the desired path of the sunrays.

United States Patent Derujinsky et a1.

[ 1 Mar. 7, 1972 [541 SUNBATHERS ROTATABLE PLATFORM [72] lnventors: Ruth Derujinsky, 165 West End Ave., New York, N.Y. 10023; Patricia Field, 295 Third Ave, New York, NY. 10010 [22] Filed: July 16,1969

[21] Appl.No.: 842,164

[52] US. Cl ..108/139, 5/344, 52/65 [51] Int. Cl ..A47b 11/00, A47g 9/00, E04b 1/346 [58] Field of Search ..108/139, 39; 5/2, 327, 344; 52/64-66 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 895,176 8/1908 Gaynor ..56/65 UX 1,772,219 8/1930 Kempton ..52/65 X 1,917,498 7/1933 Collins.... ..52/65 X 3,289,222 12/1966 Nielsen ..5/327 R 1,306,666 6/1919 Houston ..108/139 1,421,779 7/1922 Heering ..108/139 X 1,520,790 12/1924 Wier ..33/62 A 1,496,403 6/ 1924 Atkinson ..33/62 A 2,849,729 9/1958 Goodey et al. ....297/217 X 2,857,957 l0/1958 Gay ..5/344 X 3,232,662 2/1966 Graves 108/50 X 3,255,467 6/1966 Kowalski ..5/327 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 838,055 5/1952 Germany ..108/139 157,892 12/1932 Switzerland ..108/139 Primary ExaminerPaul R. Gilliam Attorney-Sparrow and Sparrow [57] ABSTRACT A sunbathers recreational device in which a platform is mounted for rotation on a base. The platform is provided with a gnomon or style, the position or length of its shadow upon the platform serving as an indicator or reference of the position of the sun with relation to the sunbather, so that when required, the platform may be rotated to position the sunbather in the desired path of the sunrays.

4 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMAR H912 3,646,896

SHEET 1 UF 3 INVENTORS. F l 3 far/xpi/Pw/lvs/n SUNBATI-IIERS ROTATABLE PLATFORM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to sunbathing recreational facilities for use at pools, on beaches, meadows, sun decks and like places, in general, and to a freely rotatable platform or support upon which a person or persons may rest while receiving the beneficial effect of the suns rays. The rotatable support carries an upwardly directed member or style to aid the sunbather to rotatably position the platform so that he or she may derive a maximum comforting benefit from the suns rays when resting thereupon.

The usual resting means for such purpose are towels, mattresses, blankets, beach rests, chairs, and the like. However, the sunbather using such devices has to change his or her position and obviously to do so, must arise from such resting means and relocate the same with respect to the position of the sun in order to avoid the direct glare of the sun and/or to attain the best condition or position for obtaining a pleasant sunbath. This disadvantage presents a problem which is solved by the invention herein defined.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention consists in such novel features, construction arrangements, combination of parts and improvements as may be shown and described in connection with the devices herein disclosed by way of examples only and as illustrative of preferred embodiments.

The inventive concept of the present invention is the provision of a sunbathers recreational device in which a platform is mounted for rotation on a base or support carrying antifriction means, such as for example, a ball or roller bearing device. The rotatable platfon'n is provided with a gnomon or style, the position or length of its shadow cast upon the platform serving as an indicator or reference of the position of the sunbather, so that when required, the platform may be rotated to position the sunbather resting upon the platform in the desired path of the sunrays. Comfortable body rests may be placed on the platform and the platform may have facilities for conveniently holding articles desired to be used by the sunbather during the sunbath. Thus, the user can always adjust his or her position relative to the sun without moving from a comfortable position on the platform. The rotatable platform may be made to accommodate one or two persons.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the following description and in the claims, parts will be identified by specific names for convenience, but such names are intended to be as generic in their application to similar parts as the art will permit. Like reference characters denote like parts in the several figures of the drawing, in which FIG. 1 shows in isometric projection the rotatable platform with two body rests thereon;

FIG. 2 is a section of the rotatable platform and the support base, taken along the line 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section of one of the body rests in FIG. 1, taken along the lines 3-3 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows in an exploded view another version of the rotatable platform with one body rest thereon, and the bearing support therefor;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the device shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an isometric projection of the platform in modified form, being substantially ring shaped and foldable;

FIG. 6a is a section through 6a6a of FIG. 6;

FIG. 7 shows a side view of the ring-shaped platform in a folded condition for carrying the same;

FIG. 8 is a detail portion of the section shown in FIG. 2, showing a ball bearing arrangement for the rotatable platform in an enlarged scale, partly broken away;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the bearing arrangement of the rotatable platform, partly broken away;

FIG. 10 is a detail portion of the bearing support for the rotatable platform, showing a roller support arrangement, partly broken away; and

FIG. 11 is a plan view of the roller bearing arrangement shown in FIG. 10, without the rotatable platform, partly broken away.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now in more detail to the drawings illustrating preferred embodiments by which the invention may be realized, there is disclosed in FIG. 1 a substantially circular platform 20 which is freely rotatable on a substantially circular ball track 21 on a base 22. Platform 20 and base 22 may consist of rigid, yet lightweight material, such as plywood or plastics. Platform 20 has a ring-shaped downwardly directed projection or extension 23 on its underside. Projection or annulus 23 provides a sidewall-encompassing ball track 21 in order to prevent platform 20 from slipping sidewise off base or support 22. Platform 20 has extensions or wings 24, 25 to support the feet of two sunbathers, respectively. Platform 20 has a pair of headrests 26 provided with a swingable or movable member 27 (FIG. 3), for adjusting the angle ofthe former with relation to platform 20 with the help of grooves 27 in the surface of the latter. Grooves or recesses 28, 29 are provided on platform 20 to support and confine such articles as drinking glasses, cosmetics, etc., for the convenience of the sunbathers.

A gnomon or style 30 extends upwardly from platform 20. Member or style 30 preferably substantially triangular in shape is made of any suitable material and may be either fixed in upward position or hingedly connected to platform 20. Gnomon or style 30 indicates to the users of the device the actual stand of the sun; in other words, if no shadow of the triangularly shaped style 30 is cast sideways thereof, the sun is directly in line with the sunbathers who lie substantially parallel thereto, providing the best position for sunbathing. The users thus can always rotate platform 20 into this best position after observing the shadow of style 30.

Another embodiment of the device is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, wherein the platform 31 is arranged for a single user. In this embodiment the platform 200 has the extension 240 at one end to support the feet of the user and the hinged backrest 26a on the other side of the center of platform 20a. The style 30a is located on extension 24a.

A split ring 32 made up of hingedly connected half-sections or segments 33, 34 is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. The two halves 33, 34 preferably made of a light metal are hingedly connected together so that ring 32 may be folded, as shown in FIG. 7. Handles 35, 36 are provided for facilitating carrying ring 32 in the folded condition. A sheet of material 37 is placed over ring 32 and is lashed thereto by strings or tapes 38, thus providing a comfortable body rest for the user. Frame or ring 32 with sheet material 37 fastened thereto when unfolded thus constituting a platform 32a as well as the body rest, is adapted to be rotatably placed over a suitable base, such as, for example, that which is shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 or FIGS. 10 and 11. Sheet 37 may be made of any suitable material such as canvas, duck, or other suitable textile material, plastics, etc.

The gnomon or style may be attached to the frame or ring 32 by any suitable means, for example, it may be hingedly attached to a section or segment of ring 32 so that it may be swung downwardly against sheet or covering 37, or it may be removably attached to frame 32.

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate one embodiment of base 22 with a ball support-arrangement for platforms 20, 31, 32a. Balls 40 are spaced apart and are thus kept apart by a ball cage 41. A lower racetrack 42 made preferably of a hard material is placed on base 22 and an upper racetrack 43, also made of a hard material, is placed on top of balls 40. Retainer pieces 44 hold the ball bearing assembly, consisting of balls 40, cage 4i, racetracks 42 and 43 together and prevent them from dropping out. A support ring 45 is attached to the underside of platform 20 (or 31) above upper racetrack 43. Balls 40 may consist of a suitable material such as nylon or a like material which is lighter than steel and would not be affected by rust or other corrosion.

A further embodiment of the base or support for platforms 20, 31, 32a is shown in FIGS. and 11. Balls 40 are replaced by rollers 46 having short shafts 47, 48, which are supported in suitable cutouts 49 in the walls 50, 51 on base or plate 22. Short straps 52 secure shafts 47, 48 in cutouts 49. A ring 53 consisting of an angular section serves as a roller track and simultaneously as a bord or retainer for preventing platform 20. 31 or 320 from slipping off. Rollers 46 may be made of nylon or other suitable material.

Since the device is conceived for outdoors recreational purposes on beaches, meadows, sun decks and the like places, it is understood that all component parts, as it has already been indicated above for platforms 20, 21 and baseplate 22, may consist of lightweight materials which are nonrusting, noncorroding under atmospheric conditions and mildewproof, such as Fiberglas-reinforced epoxies, or similar plastics, or consist of suitable aluminum-magnesium alloys,

Platform or 32a may be used without base 22, in which case it may rest directly on the ground or on a floor base. ln such case the gnomon or style may be pivotally mounted vertically at substantially the center of the platform and rotated in lieu of having the platform rotatably mounted. Although less expensive, such device would require the sunbather to shift his body on the platform with every rotative movement of the style.

By the term gnomon or style used in the specification and claims, is meant a device which can be positioned relative to the sun so that substantially no lateral shadow thereof is cast on the platform upon which the sunbather reclines.

While the invention has been described and illustrated with respect to certain preferred examples of arrangements for sunbathing which give satisfactory results, it will be understood by those skilled in the art after understanding the principle of the invention, that various other changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An arrangement for sunbathing comprising a base, a platform on said base adapted to support at least one person in a reclining position, means on said base whereby said platform may be rotated relative thereto, a backrest on said platform and a gnomon arranged adjacent the top surface of said platform at a right angle thereto.

2. An arrangement for sunbathing according to claim 1, said base having antifriction means secured thereon for facilitating rotation of said platform relative to said base.

3. An arrangement for sunbathing according to claim 1, said backrest being adjustable and said base having a plurality of notches for securing the angle of said adjustable backrest.

4. An arrangement for sunbathing according to claim 1, said platform being foldable. 

1. An arrangement for sunbathing comprising a base, a platform on said base adapted to support at least one person in a reclining position, means on said base whereby said platform may be rotated relative thereto, a backrest on said platform and a gnomon arranged adjacent the top surface of said platform at a right angle thereto.
 2. An arrangement for sunbathing according to claim 1, said base having antifriction means secured thereon for facilitating rotation of said platform relative to said base.
 3. An arrangement for sunbathing according to claim 1, said backrest being adjustable and said base having a plurality of notches for securing the angle of said adjustable backrest.
 4. An arrangement for sunbathing according to claim 1, said platform being foldable. 